Stormzy and Cliff Richard square up as they go head-to-head for No1 spot this Friday
A FIGHT between Stormzy and Cliff Richard was probably the last thing you were expecting to hear about.
But the young rapper and the music veteran have found themselves in an unlikely tussle to top the album chart.
They are just a few thousand copies apart after three days of sales following the release of their latest records on Friday.
The grime artist was earlier tonight in the lead with This Is What I Mean, having gone to No1 with his previous two albums.
But underdog Cliff — back with his first festive collection in 19 years, Christmas With Cliff — is giving him tough competition.
A music insider said: “There are only about 3,000 copies between them and, in the run-up to Christmas, anything could happen.
“They have both sold huge amounts of their albums and those figures will only grow before Friday.”
When Stormzy released his last album Heavy Is The Head in 2019 he beat Harry Styles to No1, so he has good form in coming out on top.
But Cliff, 53 years Stormzy’s senior, has long had success in the charts and his new album is on course to become his 47th top ten solo record.
And surprisingly, they may have more in common than you’d imagine.
Cliff has for years spoken for years about his dedication to Christianity and how it has inspired his music.
Stormzy’s new album comes from a similar place.
He told last month how he would pray with his collaborators every day before songwriting sessions.
I’m sure they will both be saying a little prayer this week in the hope of reaching No1.
Marvel over new heroes
FANS of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are in for a treat – as bosses work on exciting new superhoroes that will keep the franchise going for years.
A film source said: “Marvel is secretly developing a new range of characters designed to be launched in the next decade.
“It wants to offer fans surprises with the development of original characters who will help move storylines along for established names and also star in stand-alone pictures.
“The commercial success of films like Woman King has given them the confidence to create a new range of black standalone characters that can live both in and out of MCU.
“It’s all about diversification.
“Amazon recently purchased the rights to air an alternative version of the Spider-Man story, so the plan is to offer rival companies an in without interrupting the Marvel schedules.”
As a big Marvel fan I’m looking forward to seeing what they come up with.
Weeknd back for UK tour
THE WEEKND has hit the big time and will headline UK stadiums when he returns here for the first time in six years next summer.
Earlier tonight he announced he will bring his critically acclaimed After Hours Til Dawn tour to our shores in 2023, starting at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester, on June 28.
He will then head to Ireland to play Dublin’s Marlay Park on June 28, followed by London Stadium on July 7.
Since the Canadian singer last toured here in 2017 he has had smash hits including Blinding Lights, Save Your Tears and Sacrifice.
The North American leg broke attendance records and took more than £100million.
He’ll get another hefty increase to his bank balance by the time his European tour wraps up.
PETE ’N’ EM HAVE A BALL
LADIES man Pete Davidson made his first public appearance with his latest squeeze, model Emily Ratajkowski, at a basketball game in New York.
The pair wrapped up fieldside at the ball game to watch the Memphis Grizzlies play the New York Knicks.
Emily looked cosy in a £299 North Face puffer jacket and knee-high snakeskin boots, while Pete was dressed like a schoolboy in a blue tracksuit.
The pair have kept their romance low-key since they started dating last month – but both were happy to wave to fans.
I’ve questioned before what Pete’s many attractive suitors, including Ariana Grande and Kim Kardashian, see in the Saturday Night Live comic.
And whatever it is, Emily was lapping it up as she grinned while they sipped beers.
Pete, give us mere mortals your secret, mate.
New Metallica LP will rock ’n’ . . reflect
METALLICA have revealed their 12th studio album is called 72 Seasons and will be out on April 14.
The band, who will headline Download festival in Donington Park, Leicestershire on June 8 and 10, also announced a huge world tour.
Frontman James Hetfield said the album’s title was inspired by the band’s childhoods and how they became adults.
He added: “The first 18 years of our lives form our true or false selves. The concept that we were told ‘who we are’ by our parents.
“The possible pigeon-holing around what kind of personality we are.
“Much of our adult experience is reenactment or reaction to these childhood experiences. Prisoners of childhood or breaking free of those bondages we carry.”
Hope the music is more cheerful . . .
Oldman's truth
OSCAR-winner Gary Oldman reckons he would have died if he didn’t quit drinking.
At a Q & A in London ahead of the second series of his TV show Slow Horses, Gary, sober since 1997, said: “I have recently celebrated 25 years of sobriety.
“And all the things I’ve enjoyed and had to deal with in that 25 years have been possible because of sobriety . . . to be honest with you, I’m not sure I’d even be sitting here.”
ROSALÍA IS UP WITH THE BEST
Rosalia @ Altice Arena, Lisbon, Portugal
SHE danced in Cardi B’s Wap video and has collaborated with The Weeknd and Billie Eilish.
But it looks like 2023 will be the year Rosalía breaks out as a fully fledged pop star here following years of being adored across Europe and Latin America.
And her Motomami tour proves she has what it takes to be among the very best.
The Spanish singer is the perfect triple threat, genuinely likeable – she was in tears during her ballad G3 N15 – with killer dance moves and an angelic voice.
And she can also pivot straight from moving moments to bone-shaking pop tracks like Bizochito and Motomami, performing her viral choreography with eight dancers.
There’s probably not another performer aside from Beyonce able to sing and dance so energetically at the same time.
Her show has everything, from wild moments where she washes her hair at the side of the stage and shakes it at the crowd, to whizzing around the stage on a scooter during encore Chicken Teriyaki.
Unfortunately, the incredible visuals on the screens either side of the stage take away from performance, as a cameraman following her around often got in the way of the tight show.
She will bring the tour to London’s O2 Arena on December 15.
This is just the beginning for Rosalía. She has a very, very exciting future.
Rating: 4/5
Howell Davies